Northern lights may be visible in these 18 US states Sept. 1-2

Graphic illustration of the where in the US the northern lights may be visible on Sept 1-2. .

A potent cannibal solar storm has hit Earth and could put on a spectacular northern lights display across the U.S tonight.

A fast-moving coronal mass ejection (CME), launched by a long-duration M2.7 flare from sunspot AR 4199 on Aug. 30, slammed into Earth's magnetic field around 5 p.m. EDT (2100 GMT) on Sept. 1, according to NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC).